Fresh Perspectives
by IrishWaterNymph
Summary: Lexi is used to being dumped at schools with only a bunch of morons for company, and left to fend for herself, but this time she's stuck in a school quite out of the ordinary, with no idea what's going on, and no-one to explain it to her...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is my first fanfic so be nice! I've roped in one of my HP-obsessed friends to co-write this, so enjoy! ~ Becky and Georgia**

Here we go again, another new school, another new set of teachers and, worst of all, another new set of pupils – 'friends'. The only difference is that this time I've been dumped in some posh boarding school instead of some crappy state school, where the priority is stopping underage pregnancy. Even the foster parents have given up on me – not that I blame them, I mean who would want to look after a sixteen year old who is fluent in sarcasm and has a tendency to make things spontaneously combust? So instead of finding a 'home' for me, they shipped me off to an interview with some poncy boarding-school headmaster and next thing I know I'm on a private train to some castle that doubles as a school.

Everyone keeps giving me the weirdest looks and whispering something to do with 'muggle' as I walk past. Stupid posh brats with their own boarding-school language. I've only known them five minutes and I can already see the different groups: the irritating know-it-alls, the annoying do-gooders, and the mind-numbing attention-seekers, and then there's a group I find quite interesting, I don't know how to describe them, but they seem to be led by quite an attractive boy with white-blond hair, who appears to have a growth on his arm that resembles a girl – you can never be too sure with the posh school kids.

I'm stuck with a bunch of eleven-year-olds to do some initiation ritual involving rowing across a lake in the pouring rain. Whose idiotic idea was it to give all the new kids hypothermia before they've even started school? I can't wait to get this over with because I'm now soaked to the bone and freezing my ass off; and that glowing castle in the distance looks so inviting…

We finally reach the castle and are met by a severe-looking woman who informs us we will be 'sorted'. All of the eleven-year-olds look like they understand, so I don't say anything, I don't want to be shown up by a freaking eleven-year-old – I'm sixteen for God's sake! With a sudden crash, two massive doors swing open revealing a large hall with four long tables of pupils wearing slightly different variations of the same uniform (the same uniform no one bothered telling me we had to buy or wear, in fact the only equipment I have is a battered old suitcase full of tatty old clothes). I'm guessing we're going to be sorted onto each table.

As we are ushered into the hall by the woman who introduces herself as Professor McGonagall everyone turns and stares in silence. They are all staring at me! What, have they never had a new student who joins at the beginning of sixth form before? Judgemental pricks. To be honest, I don't really care, I'm used to the stares, I'm more interested in the ceiling – it's almost alive! It perfectly mimics the weather outside, yet somehow makes even cloudy, dark, rainy British sky seem beautiful; probably something to do with the glowing candles that are hovering above the heads of the people at the tables like magic.

An old man stands up and says something welcoming everyone back – it didn't really make that much sense, but I wasn't really paying attention. Then the sorting begins: McGonagall calls up each of the tiddlers and puts this old scraggy had on top of their heads and it yells out a name – the actual hat yells! It's stupid what these posh schools have enough money for. It's easy to tell which of the different houses we're sorted into are – Hufflepuff looks like the irritating goody-two shoes', Ravenclaw is the unbearable brainboxes, Gryffindor is the tedious show-offs, while Slytherin is all the people like me – us effortlessly cool sarcastic kids. Naturally I'm left to the end, and I'm sorted into Slytherin, not really a surprise, I wouldn't fit in anywhere else.

I sit down on the end of the table, and the boy who looked like the leader from earlier comes up and starts talking to me.

'Well, well, well, what have we here? Why are you joining with the first-years? You don't look eleven to me.' He says, managing to seem interested and bored at the same time.

'That old guy just pulled me out of school and told me I'd be coming here from now on, don't ask me why, I have no clue.' I reply warily. In my experience posh kids only talk to you to make you seem stupid or because you have something they want. I obviously don't have anything he wants, so he must be trying to make me seem like a complete idiot on my first day. Great.

'Old Dumbledore got you? Why'd he let a mudblood join so late?' He laughs. I don't know what a mudblood is, but it doesn't exactly seem like a complement. He sounds so condescending that instantly I'm irritated.

'Just because you're obviously richer than me doesn't give you the right to speak to me like that! You don't even know me, what gives you the right to judge me?' I yell, 'Some people don't have parents that can pay their way through everything!' He looks taken aback; evidently he's not used to someone fighting back.

'Oh, sorry, what happened to your parents?' He almost seems genuinely concerned. Almost.

'They're locked up in some prison no-one's ever heard of – Azkib… Azkiber? ' I reply. The rumours will start soon anyway; I may as well let them be true.

'Azkaban?' He looks shocked, maybe he has heard of it?

'Yeah, that's it. How do you know?' I'm instantly suspicious, but he looks friendlier now.

'Well then, that may change things. I didn't catch your name during the sorting?' He appears interested now, but I'm still suspicious.

'Lexi.' I reply shortly

'Lexi what? No surname?' He teases, but the friendly teasing. I'm not used to this, this weird thing, almost friendship.

'Funny kid. My name's Alexa Lestrange.'

**Soooooo... how did you like chapter one? Please review! And hopefully the next chapter will be up in the next couple of days**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Well here it is! Chapter Two, hope you like it, enjoy ~ Georgia and Becky**

He stands there gaping at me like I'm some kind of mutant frog. In fact, most of the Slytherin table have similar expressions, and that's when the whispers start, I immediately begin to panic. What are they all talking about? I can't have done something wrong already! I try to keep calm, to not let my panic show. I glare at the white-haired boy, it's all his fault, and he hasn't even told me his name!

Just then, as if he could read my thoughts, he turns and yells at the Slytherin table, his authority over them was clear, even the large primitive Slytherins look like they would do what he says.

'Alright, alright nothing to see here. You don't want old 'Bella coming after you now... for making fun of her DAUGHTER.' He says sarcastically.

The added emphasis on 'daughter' was unmistakeable. What does he mean? Do they all know who my parents are? There was silence at the table, nothing but the shuffles of people changing how they're sat attempting to make it as unobvious as physically possible that they weren't looking straight at me. I'm not convinced – I just know they're all gossiping about me in their stupid superior voices. Do these posh idiots have nothing better to do? Everything is always turned into a massive drama with them!

The boy turns round to reveal a smug grin sprawled across his face.

'Well Lexi, I'm Draco Malfoy,' He says to me. He takes a long pause, expecting me to respond. He obviously thinks so highly of himself that he expects everyone to know who he is; hopefully this will be a wakeup call to the arrogant idiot! Draco begins to look like he finally understands that he's going to have to explain everything, 'Your cousin?'

This time it's my turn to stare at him like a mutant frog. I've known no-one my whole life, and now I've found out that this entire school knows who my parents are, and I have a cousin! I stare at him in shock. Searching for some kind of an answer, but he's just gawping back at me with no response. Suddenly it dawns on him that I have no idea what's going on and his face mimics the shock on mine. He stares at me, lost for words.

'Do you not know what is going on? Do you even know where you are?' he exclaimed.

'I know I'm at some stupid posh school with a bunch of retards who aren't telling me how the hell they know my parents and I've just found out I have a "cousin".' I retort, the cynicism in my voice clear as I try to keep calm.

'Do you even know what you are?' He asks disbelievingly. Is he plain stupid? Does he mean do I know I'm human! What kind of a posh idiot thinks you have to be rich to think you're human, does he think that I think I'm a freaking leprechaun! Of course I know what I am! The last sixteen torturous years of my pathetic, worthless life I've just been Lexi, I've had no parents, no friends and I've never fit in anywhere. No one likes me and that's the way it has always been, the way it will always be! I give him one last impatient stare and he stares back, deep into my eyes, intrusively, as if searching for some explanation for my utter confusion.

'Did Dumbledore never tell you?' He says maddeningly. Not this again, no more goddamn riddles! Why can't people just explain things from the beginning without making me feel as stupid as a two-year old! My annoyance is evidently bursting through, as he hastily starts talking again...

'You're a witch, Lexi!'

What! I inspect his face, looking for some clue this is all some moronic joke against the new kid. There's nothing, I have to admit it; this kid's good, but it's obvious that he's trying the 'let's embarrass the poor kid' route. What a dick.

I collect myself instantly before replying 'You do realise, that the whole 'let's embarrass the new kid' gets old after the first couple of schools. It's not very original, although you are one of the better actors I've seen; you almost make it seem believable!' I'm so fed up with all these posh kids thinking they own the place and I know that he isn't actually my cousin and doesn't actually know my mum. It was probably just some lucky guess that he knew the name of my parents' prison. Maybe it's just a local prison, which is why he knew it.

'Don't be a complete moron, Lestrange. We Slytherins aren't very good at introducing mudbloods to magic – we're not used to it, it's normally only pure-bloods that get sorted into Slytherin! Not that you're a mudblood, you're a pure-blood, you've just lived under a rock for the last sixteen years. Anyway, at least come and meet the rest of us before you write us off as idiots; after all, we're all that you've got for company for the next two years so you might as well know who we are.' He says in his swerve, arrogant way. What does he mean they're all I've got? Last time I checked there were three other houses full of people. And what are purebloods and mudbloods? So many questions, which are clearly to be left unanswered!

'Well, you know me, Draco Malfoy, the most handsome guy in the whole school.' He says with a smirk. 'My mum's your mum's sister. Other people who have parents know yours… let's see Crabbe and Goyle' he says pointing to two boys who could quite easily be mistaken for gorillas. They both grunt at me, and quickly go back to shoving food into their mouths… I thought private school kids were all polite with impeccable manners, but apparently not. 'And Nott over there, Theodore,' he continues pointing to a weedy-looking boy sitting with the group, although not quite part of it. 'Then we have the rest of my fan club' he says laughing, the growth that was on his arm on the train giggles and looks at him sickeningly, while a tall dark coloured boy with high cheekbones and long slanting eyes snorts. 'Shut up Zabini,' Draco says to the boy, 'this is Blaise Zabini, his mother's notorious for marrying seven times with each of her husband's dying mysterious deaths.'

'And this is Draco Malfoy, also known by the Gryffindors as 'The Amazing Bouncing Ferret'' Blaise says, seeming slightly hurt by Draco's claim, but with enough ammo to return any insults. A couple off sniggers go off around the table, mine included.

'You'll shut up if you know what's best for you Zabini.' Draco retorts gesturing to his left arm menacingly. The sniggers abruptly stop. I'm curious as to what everyone's so scared of on Draco's arm. 'Anyway, Lexi, next we have Pansy Parkinson,' the hard-face, pug-growth from earlier, 'Daphne Greengrass,' a model-esque brunette with poker-straight hair, 'Tracey Davis,' another brunette, still pretty but not quite as stunning as Daphne, 'and finally, Millicent Bulstrode' black-haired, strong-jawed and definitely no pixie… remind me not to get on her bad side! 'That's the Slytherins in our year, we'll get round to the others later, and don't bother getting to know any of the others in our year: the Gryffindors are all obsessed with Potter, the Ravenclaws are all high and mighty and those Hufflepuffs are a bunch of muggle-lovers, you'd do better to not associate with them. Now eat, I bet you've never tasted anything half as good as this in the muggle world.'

Draco sits down and gestures to the empty seat next to him. I sit down apprehensively and watch as he joins in scoffing his face with the picturesque food. I hadn't noticed how much there is, and how excessive it all is! There's towers of ice cream, leaning at angles that looked like they should topple over to make a river of sticky cream. The chicken and sausages look like those only seen in the magazines I read once my foster parents were done with them – sizzling and the glazed that makes them glisten in the candle light... Candles. I still didn't know how they're floating, it probably costs a heck of a lot money! My attention is drawn up towards them and my eyes narrow in concentration – I will work out how they stay up! In my daze I barely notice Draco muttering to Blaise 'maybe she'll give that know it all Potter a run for his money!'

Who's Potter? Why does Draco openly despise him? So many questions, so little answers. I really need a notebook to write them all down in!

'Miss Lestrange,' I spin round to see a professor with black, greasy shoulder length hair and a long hooked nose. 'Professor Dumbledore has requested a meeting as soon as you have finished eating. Draco, I trust you have been introducing Miss Lestrange to everyone? Show her to the common room and take her to Professor Dumbledore's office as soon as Miss Greengrass has shown her the dorm rooms.' he says in his mundane nasal voice.

'Yes, sir.' Daphne and Draco chorus. Perhaps these private school kids do have good manners and Crabbe and Goyle are just exceptions.

'Miss Lestrange, I am Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house, if you have any queries or complaints do not hesitate to ask.' He says, I'm about to ask all of the questions that have popped into my head in the last three hours but I'm interrupted, 'Of course, I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will answer all of your current questions during your meeting. I noticed you have an obvious lack of a uniform, so I have arranged a house elf to deliver robes to your dorm.' What's a house elf? Question number six-hundred-and-two. 'Draco, I suggest you write to your mother about Miss Lestrange's arrival, from there she can contact dearest Bellatrix and perhaps arrange a meeting and a visit to Diagon Alley to gather Miss Lestrange's equipment.'

'Yes professor,' Draco says. Snape turns and leaves with a swish of his robes. What does he mean arrange a meeting? My parents are in prison! I can't meet them! Of course, these posh kids can probably bribe the police… Hang on a second, if these people all know my parents, does that mean I'm a posh rich kid too? I think it's safe to say that my world is going to be turned upside-down in the next few weeks, but for now I'm going to eat, I can't remember the last time I had some decent food, and if what I've seen so far is anything to go by, this school doesn't do anything by halves. Private train, talking hat, floating candles in the sky that's practically real…

I tentatively pick up the odd piece of mouth-watering food positioned directly in front of me before losing patience with tentativeness and begin grabbing at it until I have mounds on my plate. I stop for a moment before I devour it all, just to admire the masterpiece I have created, before hunching over my plate and start shoving it into my mouth. Now I understand Crabbe and Goyle! I start to hear approving sniggers from the surrounding Slytherins and look up to inspect their faces, which is when I see it, on the other table... the snooty Ravenclaw table. My mouth drops and the slime soaked food drops out of my mouth and lands with a massive thud on my plate. Utterly disgusting, I know. Everything goes silent, and I hear my heat beat pounding! My chest feels like it's about to explode, I want to run, to scream - but I can't my body's frozen stiff!

I can't believe my eyes, that girl, that posh totty blonde bimbo girl just used a goddam stick to lift someone in the air... What is this?

Magic?

**So what did you think? Leave a little review saying whether you liked it or not, anything you'd change, tips for the future? Next chapter will be up by Saturday, we've both got two exams tomorrow and Friday so it's revise, revise, revise!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Sorry it's late! But hey, better late than never! Enjoy! ~ Becky and Georgia**

This cannot be happening! It just can't work! That was impossible. That cannot have just happened. I want to yell out 'DID ANYONE SEE THAT!' but as much as I will the words to come out, they stick in my throat. I gasp as the world slowly comes back into focus. I can begin to hear soft murmurs as I'm released from my trance. I can hear the shrieks of the overly excited bimbos, and the sneers of my fellow Slytherins. But it wasn't the same as before, something's wrong, something isn't normal.

I twist my head, looking up at the candles one last time, desperately searching for a wire, a light-bulb, anything to make this seem normal. But there's nothing. I begin to feel my heart sink and race at the same time. Where am I? What is this place? Who are these people?

I'm suddenly aware of Draco's face close to mine, looking concerned. I want to push him away, to run away from him as fast as I can. And yet, I want to hug him as if I have known him my whole life and he will protect me. My head is fighting a battle with itself, and I don't know who'll win, or who I even want to win!

I'm so torn and I just sit there blank, I can only imagine the idiotic expression on my face. I just want answers to this impossible world. I just need someone to tell me what is going on in this god forsaken place! Draco catches onto the combination of my fear and confusion, meets my gaze and finally realises that I'm too proud to ask for help, even when I need it.

'I think we should take you to Dumbledore.' He says. I try to reply, but words are still catching in my throat. Too stunned to move, I can only just manage a nod, what's wrong with me? I'm normally the unshakeable one, the one who takes whatever life throws at her, and throws it right back in life's face. Why have I suddenly turned into a mute paraplegic? Draco helps me up before leading me out through those massive, rusty doors, and away from that peculiar place.

He leads me out through the large, old doors, and they creak to a close, landing against each other with a soft, gentle puff. I'm only now realising Draco is holding me as if I'm some incapable elderly person and want to throw him off, but I can't – out of fear of falling, or because it's the family touch I've always longed for. We slowly walk over to a damn ginormous set of stairs, Draco still supporting me as I hobble along. Just as we're about to start the climb up the stairs, a tattered looking scruffy haired boy walks past with a scrawny blonde haired bimbo.

'Potter.' Draco says. 'Didn't expect to see you here, thought you'd run back to Kings Cross with your tail between your legs, of course, there's no dog there do welcome you back anymore.'

'Malfoy.' The Potter boy says, not bothering to disguise his hatred, wincing as he presses a cloth to his blood-soaked head... What a baby, can't even take a little cut! He stares at me for a minute, looking as if he recognises me, but I've never met him before. I can't understand what Draco could've possibly done to make the Potter-boy hate him so much; from what I've seen, Draco seems so nice!

'Ah, where are my manners, Potter, this is Lexi Lestrange, daughter of Bellatrix.' Draco says with a smirk.

The Potter-boy stares at me for a second. 'Your mother is the scum of the earth who should have stayed in Azkaban. She is a foul, loathsome creature who doesn't deserve the name human.' He says with pure hatred in his voice. I can't help but be stunned, what's wrong with this boy? I can do nothing but gape wide-eyed back at him. I can't understand why he would say something like that!

The girl however beams at me, as if we're close friends or something. What is wrong with these posh twats! They're either too friendly or too rude, is there no happy medium? Is that too much to ask?

The doors swing open, just as they did for us and I hear shrieks from the Gryffindor table. He stands there for a moment all 'heroic', absorbed in all the attention, dramatic light from the hall silhouetting him. I'm almost convinced that he's some kind of hero, but he's just another no good, self-centred snob, especially after what he said about my mum! I turn to look at Draco who seems just as absorbed by the situation with the scruffy haired boy, his face tense with anger and his lip quivering.

'My father will hear about this.' He mutters, at least that's what I think he said, I didn't quite catch what he said. He snaps back into reality and looks back at me when the Potter-boy finally becomes lost in the sea of pupils all rushing to make a fuss over him. He helps me up from the step and continues leading me up them. He leads me down a labyrinth of twisted, stone corridors, how the Hell am I going to get back?

'We're here.' He says, but I can't see any door, just a large stone gargoyle. I look at him, to the gargoyle, to my feet, back to the gargoyle; I don't understand what he expects me to do. Suddenly, Snape materialises out of the shadows.

'I take it she knows?' Snape says in his maddeningly nasal voice.

'She's starting to figure it out, - slow learner.' Draco replies. I want to protest, to retaliate but Snape cuts across before I can say anything.

Snape twists on the spot, his robe fluttering elegantly behind him, raising his arms as he does so, and with an overly feminine gesture exclaims 'Acid Pops.'

**Sooo, hope you liked it! If you did or if you didn't leave a review saying how we could improve or what you want to happen in the future!**


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